#social media

Doug's News Canary report for 25 October 2026 highlights key global change signals from the past week, including the launch of Africa's own credit rating agency and the World Bank's emphasis on AI readiness for African growth. The report also covers developments in digital asset regulation, climate policy, and social media platform changes, such as LinkedIn's expansion of verification and Meta's testing of link-sharing limits.

Doug discusses Jay Springett's zine, INTERNET OPERATOR, which explores the concept of identity and how it is co-created with an audience. Jay argues that identity can be understood through the equation Figure + Operator + Audience + Apparatus = The animation of an identity, and that this applies to both human and non-human entities, such as AI personas. Doug reflects on the implications of this idea, including the relationship between our online and offline selves, and the tension between authenticity and the curated personas we present online.

Doug notes that the European Commission has preliminarily found Meta in breach of the Digital Services Act for the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook, which can shift users' brains into 'autopilot mode', fostering unhealthy habits and compulsive use. He expresses hope that this investigation may lead to meaningful regulation, as it is easier to regulate social media than social infrastructure like WhatsApp. The Commission suggests that Meta should implement design changes to mitigate these risks.

Bo Burnham discusses how corporations colonize our minds by capitalizing on every free second through social media and technology. The note reflects on the intense and insightful nature of his commentary on self-esteem and the effects of phones on kids and society.